Pressure controlled actuator



T. LINDBOM ETAL 2,974,640 PRESSURE coNTRoLLED AcTUAToR Filed NOV. 21, ,/1957 March 14, 1961 BY @g2b/2% i@ I TTOR NE YS i ment which controls the rate of liow 2,974,640 PRESSUREL coNrRoLL-ED AcTUAToR Torsten Lindbom, Blue Point, and Walter H. Rucks, Islip, NY., vassignors to Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation, Hagerstown, Md., a corporation of Marylan'd Y Filed Nov. 21, 1957, Ser. N0.V697,887 11 Claims. (Cl. 121-41) This invention relates to pressure controlled actuators generally and, more particularly, to a pressure controlled actuator wherein at lower pressures of the control fluid smaller variations thereof will produce greater displacement of the actuator means than the same variations at higher pressure.

In certain control systems, non-linear relationships exist between the movements of controlled parts and the pressures of fluids which are available to control the operationv of actuators employed `to vimpart the desiredmovements to the controlled parts. For example, in the control of certain turbines, it is desirable to provide for the adjustment of the, nozzle area in the inlet of the turbine asja, non-linear function of the turbine inlet pressure. The present invention provides an actuator which is espelcially suited to achieve this result.l j

The pressure'controlled actuator of the present inven- `tion includes a dominant or control section and a servient or` controlled section., The control section includes` a movable diaphragm which is acted on by three forces in balance, namely, the forces produced by the control pressure, by the ambient or` atmospheric pressure, and by a there is a corresponding Aposition of the Yvalve element and, therefore, of the part to be controlled by the actuator. However, increasing increments in the control pressure are required to produce given increments of displacement of the control element. Thisis achieved in the present invention by employing in the control section either a variable area diaphragm in combination with a spring having linear characteristics, or a constant area diaphragm in combination with a spring having nonlinear characteristics.

For Ia complete understanding of the present invention, reference may be made to the detailed description which follows, and to the accompanying drawings in which: v

Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an actuating device embodying the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view, partly in cross-section, of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, the housing, generally designated 10, of the actuating device includes an intermediate section 11 and end sections 12 and 13 connected to the intermediate section 11 by spring clips 14 and 15, respectively. The interior of the housing 10 contains three movable diaphragms 16, 17 and 18. A chamber 19 is defined to the right of the diaphragm 16 between the wall 'of the diaphragm and a disk 20 which serves as an end wall of the housing. The disk 20-is locked in place by a spring clip 21. A chamber 22 is defined to the left of the diaphragm 16 between the diaphragm and a partitionV wall 23 which is part of the intermediate housing section 11. A chamber 24 is dev ned between the partition wall 423 and the right side of spring.A The servient section includes a movable diaphragm acted on by tbreeforces in balance,'namely, the kforces produced by the control pressure, by the ambient or atmospheric pressure, and by a lworking; pressure which isthe pressure within a chamber into which the control fluid isbled` through a restriction and from which the fluid is 'bled to atmosphere at a variable rate of ow.

In'` the control section, the position of the movable diaphragm determines the position of a control element containing a passagethrough which fluid is bled tovatmosphere'. In'the servie'nt section, the position ofthe movable, diaphragm determines the position 4of a `valve elel and the valve element are closely spaced so that there is f but aV small bleed ofgiluid to atmosphere through the passage of the control element. If the control, pressure increases, the valve and the control element arebrou'ght together, reducing or cutting ol entirely the bleed to atmosphere vuntil the working pressure builds 'up suiiiciently'to reestablish said bleed. If, on the other hand, 'the control pressure decreases, the' control element isv displaced away from the valve element and the rate of bleed 'to atmosphere through the passage thereof increases, producing a displacement of the valve element towardrthe control `element until equilibrium isV againf established. In each case, the displacement of the-valve element is transmitted through a mechanical connection or linkage Vto the par't whose operation is to be controlled. There- Ifore, the adjusted position of the valve element, and hence also of the part. controlled by the actuatoris determined by the position of the control element. v

In the pressure controlled actuator of the present inventhe ldiaphragm 17. VA chamber 25 is defined between the left side ofthe diaphragm 17 and-apartition wall 26. A` chamber v27 is d'efned between the partition wall 26 and theV right side of the diaphragm 18. Finally, a chamber 28 is defined between the diaphragm 18 and the. end wallofthehousing section 12.

t An actuating rod 30 is connected to the movable diaphragms 17 `and 18. More specically, rigid members 17a and 17b are held in engagement withopposite sides ofthe ydiaphragm 17 by rivets 31. Also, rigid members 18a and 18h are held in engagement with opposite sides of the diaphragm 18 by rivets 32. The rigid members 17aand 18b are aii'ixed to the actuating rod 30.

The `actuating rod 30 passes through suitable openings in the' partition wall 26 and in the end wall of the housing sectionv 12. vThe actuating rodis connected to the part to be controlled (not shown), and the axialdisplacementy of the actuating rod imparts the desired movement for the adjustment of the part. The actuating rod 30 is guided for axial movement relative to thehousing by guide bushings 33 and 34 which also serve as effective seals tov prevent leakage of the uid therethrough.

A control rod 35 is guided for axial' displacement by a bushing 36 in the Vpartition wa1l23. One end of the control yrod 35 is aixed to a rigid' plate 16a on one side of the diaphragm 16 and to a spring retaining member 1Gb on the other side of the diaphragm. The spring retaining member 16b engages one end of a compression spring 37 4which is accommodated within the chamber 22. The opposite end of the spring 37 engages the wall 23. The

tion, for each adjusted position of the control element n limits of movement of the control rod 35 are determined in one direction by abutment with an adjustable set screw 40 in the end wall or disk 20 of the housing section 13, and in the other direction by abutment withthe end of the actuating rod 30.

The pressure within the chamber '19 acts against the diaphragm 16 and forces it against a concave surface 38 `of the housing section 13. When the control rod is in its lextreme rightward position in engagement with the set screw 40, only the outer periphery of the diaphragm 16 3 is in engagement with the surface 38. Therefore, in this position the effective surface area of the diaphragm 16 is at its maximum. As the control rod 35 moves to the left, a greater peripheral portion of the diaphragm3 16 moves into abutment with the surface. 3 8-, thereby reducing the effective surface area of thediaphragm.

In the drawing, the actuating rod 30 is shown in its extreme leftward position, with the plates 171;. and 18h in engagement with the bushings 33 and 34. TheL extreme rightward position of the actuating rod 30 is determined by engagement with the end of the controlrod 35.

The actuating rod 30vis formed with. an axial passage 42 therethrough which terminates in. radial: passages, 43 and `44. This passage establishes..communicationbetween the chambers 24 and 27, so that the pressures in the chambers 24 and 27 are equalized.. Thechamber 28 is in communication with ambient or atmospheric pressure through an opening` 45'.

The control rod35 contains an. axial' passage 46 therethrough which connects the chambers 22 and 24.y The chamber 22 is. in communication with the ambient or atmospheric pressure through an opening 47 in the housing.

The upper portion of the housing is provided with an upstanding boss. 48 containing an inlet passage 49 therethrough. This inlet passage is threaded to permit the passage to be connected with the source of uid which is to serve as the control pressure for the actuator. This inlet passage 49is in communication with thechamber 19 through' ay passage 50, with the chamber 24 through a restricted passage 51, and with the chamber through a passage 52; Thus, the control pressure with which. the inlet; passage- 49 is in communication.` is exerted'on the diapliragm17 from the chamber 25 and on the diaphragm 16 fromthe chamber 19. The working pressure, that is torsay, the pressure within the chambers 24 and' 27, is that pressure which is admitted from the inletpassage 49 through the restricted passage 51 and's iniluencedby the controlled rate of'bleedl of the iluid to atmosphere through the passage", 46.0fthe control rod.

The actuator of the-present inventionconsists of a control section anda servient section. In the control' section of the actuator, the position of the control-rodv 35 -is determined by theA pressure within the chamber 1,9 acting against one side of the diaphragm'l, and by'thepressure exerted by the spring 37 and theatmosphericl pressure within the chamber 22 acting against` the opposite side of the diaphragm 16. Inthe servient section of the' actuator, the position of the actuating rod is determined` by the pressure withinthefchambers 24 and 27 actingagainst correspondingsides of the diaphragrns 17 and 18, by the control pressure within4 the chamber 25 acting-againsty the opposite side ofthe diaphragm 17, and by the atmospheric pressure within thev chamber 28- actingagainst the opposite side of the diaphragm 18. The pressures within the chambers 22- and 28 exert equal etects on the control rod and theactuating rod 30, respectively, so that they have no tendency to move these rods relatively to each other.

In the control part ofthe actuator, the control pressure is transmitted to the chamber 19 and acts against the diaphragm 16. Since the opposite side of the diaphragm 16 is vented to atmosphere and acted on by a spring 37 which has linear characteristics, the net force exerted on the diaphragm is afunction ofthe diaphragm area and the control pressure. When the control pressure is relatively constant andthe device-isdn equilibrium, the extreme end of the actuating rod 30 isrclosely spaced to the end of the control rod 35 and serves as aval-ve element to regulate the flow of fluid from the chamber 2,4fthroughy the passage 46 to the chamber 22 which isV at` atmospheric pressure. Thepressure in the chamber 19 varies in response to changes in the control pressure, and the resulting movement of the diaphragm 16 displaces the control rod 3S towardl or, away from the extreme end of theractuating rod 30.

The chambers 24 and 27 are at the same pressure, since they are interconnected by the passage 42 through the actuating rod 30. These chambers experience an intermediate pressure which is referred to herein as the working pressure. The working pressure is always less than the control pressure and4 greater than atmospheric pressure. The value. of the workingV pressure depends upon the magnitude of the forces to be overcome in order to move the actuating rod 30 to transmit movement to the controll part.

The pressure within the'chambers 24 and 27 originates as control pressure, but drops in flowing through the restricted passage 51v and. depends upon the rate of bleed to atmosphere through the passage 46 of the control rod. The rate of bleed, in turn, depends on the size of the gap between the actuating rod and the end of the control rod, since the end of the actuating rod within the chamber 24 has aA valve action onthe ow of fluid from the chamber 24 through the passage 46. In the positionof. equilibrium, the width of this gapis less thana few thousandtbs ofan inch or, in other words, of the same order of'magnitude as the elective size of the restricted passage 51. At equilibrium, the pressure within the chambers, 24 and 27 is thus controlled to be about one-haii:` of the control pressure at the inlet passagey 49.

When the actuating rod 30 of the Iactuator is in a given position of adjustment,the actuator iscapable of developingappreciable forces to overcome changes in the-load on the actuating rod. Fory example, if the foreesacting on the controlled part which is connected to the actuating rod-cause a movement of the actuating-rod to theleft asiviewed in Figure 1, the end' of the actuating rod 30 is displaced from the end ofthe controlrod 35, resulting in a` decreasein the working pressure inthe chambers 24 andA 27. This decrease in working pressure-results from the'- fact-that the outow through' theV passage 46 tends to be'grea'ter than thel inow through the restricted passage 51-v untill equilibrium is established ata lower'prsure level. As the working pressure within' thev chambers 24/andf274 decreases, the force exerted' by the pressure in the chamber 27 tending to move thei diaphragm 18 to the left against Iatmospheric pressure is reduced; similarly, the force exerted byl the pressure in the chamber 25' tending to move the diaphragm 17 to the right' increases as a result of the difference between the control' pressure and the working pressure. The net effect is a corrective force to return the actuating rod to the right'sol that the gap between the actuating rod and' the control rod is reduced and the bleed-off of the working pressure is corrected;

Similarly, if the forces on the controlled part tend to displace the actuating rod to the right, the lactuating rod abuts against the end of the control rod, reducing or cutting oi entirely the bleed of fluid from the chamber 24 to the chamber 22 via the passage 46. Since the outflow from the chamber 24 is reduced or stopped, the pressure within the chamber 24 builds up, so that the net` force on `the diaphragms 17 and 18 to the left increases.

Although the foregoing forces are developed to maintain the actuating rod 30in a given position of adjustment notwithstanding variations in the load forces, the actuating rod is adapted to be displaced in response to variations in thel control pressure. For example, in the event ofan increase in the control pressure, the pressure within the chamber 19 is increased, moving/the control rod toward or into engagement with` the end of the actuatingl rod 3,0,l thereby reducing; orv cutting; oit the bleed. from theA chambers 24; and1 27v through the passage 46. This action, as explainedr above, 'buildsupzthe pressure within the chamber 24, moving the diaphragrnsv 17 and 18' to the left as viewed in Figure l, displacing'the actuating rod to.` thei left until` a` position of' equilibrium is.. restored. Likewise, when the' control pressure decreases, the control rod 35 moves to the right, resulting `in @movement of the actuating rod 30 to the right. Tl'1u`s,'the` position of the control rod-35` determines at all times the position of the actuating lrod 30. jDue to the fact that the eiectivefiarea;` of the diaphragm `16` depends upon the pressure`within the chamber 19, the -actuator is designed so that greater increments of pressure are required to-obtain a given displacement of the actuating rod at higher pressures, and smaller increments of pressure are required to produce a given dis placement lof the actuating rod B0. 2,1 t.-.1.0.W er v pressures.

herein by providing a modulated displacement of the control -rod for different pressures Voffthe control fluid. Morespecifically, when the pressure within thechamber 1.9 isreduced in response-to ya decrease in the;` control phraigm 16 to the right as Viewed -in Figure ,1, thereby moving aperipheral portion of the diaphragm out of contact with the concave wall 38 of the housing. k'Flic-effetti tivesurface area of the diaphragm 16lis thereby increased. Qn the other hand, when the pressure within the chamber 19 increases due toian increase in the control pressure, 4the diaphragm is displaced to the left, as viewed in Figure 1, against the action of the spring 37, moving a peripheral portion of the diaphragm into engagement with the wall 38. The effective surface area of the diaphragm is thereby reduced. Therefore, a greater linear displacement of the control rod 3S will result from given increments in the pressure of the control fluid at relatively low pressures and smaller linear displacement will result from given increments in the pressure of the control fluid at relatively high pressures.

The embodiment illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing is identical to the embodiment illustrated in Figure l, except that the means for modulating the displacement of the control element 35 so that for given increments of pressure change the amount of displacement is greater at low control pressures than at high control pressures includes a constant area diaphragm 55 in combination with a spring 56 having non-linear characteristics.

The invention has been shown in preferred forms and by way of example only, and obviously many variations and modifications may be m-ade therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. The invention, therefore, is not to ibe limited to tany specified form or emlbodiment, except in so far as such limitations are set forth in the claims.

We claim:

1. A pressure controlled actuator including a control mechanism and a servient mechanism, the control mechanism comprising a displaceable control element, the position of which is influenced 'by a control pressure, and the servient mechanism comprising a displaceable servient element relatively movable with respect to the control element, actuator means connected to the servient element, means defining a pressure chamber in communication with said control pressure, the pressure within said chamber influencing the position of said servient element, means defining a bleed passage through one of said elements for exhausting the uid from the chamber which influences the position of the servient element, variable valve means determining the rate of bleed of said fluid from said chamber, said valve means being controlled lby the relative positions of said servient and control elements, and means in communication with the control pressure for infiuencing the position of the control element.

2. A pressure controlled actuator including a control mechanism and a servient mechanism, the servient mechanism comprising a displaceable servient element, means defining a chamber, the pressure of which intluences the position of said displaceable servient element, means defining a passage in communcation with a control fluid for admitting a control fluid under pressure into said chamber, means defining a passage through which uid .10 'Iltis desired action 1s achievedin the actuator described `1,5 pressure, the compression Yspring 37 displiaces the diai is exhausted fromsaid chamber, the `control mechanism comprising a. displaceabley controll element, meansV deff Afining a chamber, the pressure `of which influences the position of the control ele'ment, and meansdefining'aV passage in'communication with a con-trol pressure for admitting the control iiuid under pressure into said cham- `ber vassociated withnthe control mechanism, the exhaust passage" from the chamber associated withthe servient 'mechanism'being formed throughV said controlelement, wherebythe gap between the said servient element 'and the saidcontrol elementdetermines the rate of bleed of said fluid Afrom the chamber associated withwthfe "servient mechanism; n j" jA'pressure controlled actuator including a vcontrol nxechanismland ca servient mechanism, the servient mechanism comprising a movable diaphragm, a flow regulating Vmeans carried by` ,said diaphragm, means ldeiining a 4,chamber ,adjacentjone sideyofsaid diaphragm,` and lmeans definingV a restricted passage Vcommunicating with af control pressurethroughwhh fiuid is admitted into saidev chamber, and the control mechanism comprising ajcontrol element, the position of which is influenced by the control pressure, and means defining a passage in said control element for bleeding said fluid from said chamber associated with the servient mechanism, the position of the control element relative to said fiow regulating means determining the rate of bleed of said iiuid from said chamber.

4. A pressure controlled actuator as set forth in claim 3 including means controlled by variations in the control pressure for displacing the control element variable increments for given variations in the pressure of the fluid at different magnitudes of the control pressure.

5. A pressure controlled actuator as set forth in claim 4 in which the control element is displaced greater distances at low magnitudes of the control pressure and smaller distances at greater magnitudes of the control pressure.

6. A pressure controlled actuator as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means controlled by variations in the control pressure comprises a movable diaphragm, a spring having linear characteristics acting against said movable diaphragm, and means adjacent the diaphragm for varying the effective area of the diaphragm.

7. A pressure controlled actuator as set forth in claim 4 wherein the means controlled by variations in the control pressure comprises a movable diaphragm, and a spring having variable characteristics acting against the movable diaphragm.

8. A pressure controlled actuator comprising a housing, a movable actuating rod guided for axial movement within said housing, a movable diaphragm connected to said actuating rod for imparting movement thereto, means defining first and second chambers on opposite sides of said diaphragm, means defining a passage connecting said first chamber with a control fluid under pressure, means defining a restricted passage connecting said second chamber with said control fluid, an axially movable control rod arranged in tandem with said actuating rod, a passage through said control rod which communicates with the atmosphere, whereby fluid from said second chamber is bled .to atmosphere, opposite ends of the actuating rod and the control rod cooperating to regulate the flow of fluid from said second chamber through said passage in the control rod to atmosphere, and means controlled by the control pressure for displacing the control rod as a non-linear function of the control pressure, said displacement being greater for given variations in the control pressure at low magnitudes of the control pressure and smaller for given variations in the control pressure at greater magnitudes of the control pressure.

9. A pressure controlled actuator including a control mechanism and a servient mechanism, the control mechanism comprising a displaceable control element,

the position of which is influenced by a control pressure, and the servient mechanism comprising a displaceable servient element, means defining a pressure chamber in communication with said control pressure, the pressure within said chamber influencing the position of said displaceable servient element, means defining a bleed passage for exhausting the fluid from the chamber, variable valve means determining the rate of bleed of said fluid from said chamber, said valve means being controlled by the relative positions of said servient and control elements, means in communication with the control pressure for inuencing the position of the control element, and means for modulating the displacement of the control element so that for given increments of pressure change the amount of displacement is greater 'at low control pressures than at high control pressures.

10. A pressure controlled actuator as set forth in claim 9 wherein said modulating means includes movable means having a surface thereof in communication with said control pressure, biasing means acting on said movable means in opposition to the control pressure, and means for varying the eective area of said surface in References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,264,262 Erbguth -5. Nov. 25, 1941 2,406,181 Wiegand Aug. 20, 1946 2,411,747 Nelson =Nov. 26, 1946 2,411,748 Kelley Nov. 26, 1946 2,558,506 Almin June 26, 1951 y2,575,085 Alyea Nov. 13, 1951 2,653,578 Moore Sept. 29, 1953 v2,728,231 Blair Dec. 27, 1955 2,755,812 Garnett July 24, 1956 2,789,543 Popowsky Apr. 23, 1957 2,914,077 lGrogan Nov. 24, 1959 

